You’re giving the system way too much credit for being cohesive and organized. I’ve had the work-from-home conversation with multiple bullheaded managers who personally, individually outright disbelieve that it can work, no matter how much evidence is staring them in their face. They just know what they know because they know it, and in the context of their little kingdom they know they don’t actually have to be right, they just have to be in charge. They’ll reel off a standard list of talking points, which are opportunities for you to concede and back down, and if that doesn’t work they’ll just end the conversation with something like, “Well, I’m sorry we can’t agree on this.”
You’re giving the system way too much credit for being cohesive and organized. I’ve had the work-from-home conversation with multiple bullheaded managers who personally, individually outright disbelieve that it can work, no matter how much evidence is staring them in their face. They just know what they know because they know it, and in the context of their little kingdom they know they don’t actually have to be right, they just have to be in charge. They’ll reel off a standard list of talking points, which are opportunities for you to concede and back down, and if that doesn’t work they’ll just end the conversation with something like, “Well, I’m sorry we can’t agree on this.”